Sanitary can opening mechanism



March 5, 1963 H. CAREW ETAL 3,079,683

SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM Original Filed March 3, 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ Herman (176w March 5, 1963 H. cAREw ETALSANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 3,1958 IN V EN TOM H rmer? (drew BY fl/fr a 71! [2 2 29 ATTORNEYS March 5,1963 H. CAREW ETAL SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM Original Filed March5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TORS War: 422 [476W March 5, 1963 H.CAREW ETAL 3,079,683

SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM Original Filed March 3, 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 4 w lw United States Patent Ofifice 3,679,533 Patented Mar.5, 1%53 3,679,583 SANITARY CAN OPEh-IING MECHANISM Herman Carew, TarponEprings, Fla, and Alfred W.

Kinney, Washington, Ni, assignors to American Can Company, New You,N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey v Original application Mar. 3, 1958,Ser. No. 718,683. Divided and this application duly 31, 1961, Ser. No.128,208

15 Claims. (Cl. tl4) cation entiled Method of and Apparatus forDispensing Hot Foods, filed March 3, 1958, Serial No. 718,683.

I The instant invention might well be incorported in apparatus that maybe coin controlled the manner of automatic vending machines, for thedispensing of hot or cold edibles directly from tin cans and the likeinto a suitable dish or container for immediate consumption by thepurchaser. The invention is also highly desirable for use in restaurantsand similar establishments wherein food is frequently dispensed from tincans or the like for immediate consumption by the purchaser, and theinvention might also be utilized with apparatus wherein the contents ofcans are periodically emptied into a larger vat or reservoir tank fromwhich measured amounts are ultimately dispensed, there being many andvaried uses for the instant invention, the important feature residing inthe dispensing of edibles firom tin cans and the like in a strictlysanitary condition.

In the past, many and various types of machines and mechanisms for theopening of tin cans and the like have been developed, but in no instanceof which we are aware, except as pointed out in our aforesaid copendingapplication, did any such machine or mechanism open a tin can in astrictly sanitary manner, wherein anything entering the can or comingdirectly in contact with the contents of the can was utilized only onceand then immediately discarded. In many cases with can opening mechanims heretofore known the cutting element was repeatedly used and aftereach use, in certain instances, the cutting element was dipped into asterilizing solution or otherwise treated for sanitary purposes, butthat manner of maintaining the apparatus in a sanitary condition rillnot satisfy the strict sanitary codes and laws in many localities. Thatis because there is no adequate Way of telling whether or not thesterilizing solution is effective, has not deteriorated, if there is'sufiicient of it at any one time, or when and how it is replaced, andun- I sanitary conditions would likely result. :In many other cases,automatic can opening machines did not provide a clean cut and smoothedge at the top of the can particularly if the cover was completely orsubstantially removed, so that the contents might be safely consumeddirectly from the can itself.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide a machine or mechanism for sanitarily opening tincans and the like, in

which a new cutting blade is utilized for each individual inventionembodied in a vending lso an object of this invention is the provisionof can opening mechanism which functions automatically to sever thecover from the can, hold the can cover out of the way while the can isemptied of its contents, and then automatically drop the cover back intothe empty can for disposition in a waste receptacle.

Still another feature of the instant invention resides in the provisionof can opening mechanism for automatically opening tin cans whichmechanism includes a cutting blade for completely severing a cover froma can, means for automatically holding the cover out of the way whilethe can is emptied, after which the mechanism automatically dischargesthe used cutting blade into the empty can and then ejects the cover intothe empty can over the cutting blade, whereby the can, blade, and covermay be easily disposed in a waste receptacle.

It is also a desideratum of this invention to provide automatic canopening means, in which a cutting blade is utilized only once, a newblade being substituted for each can, and which severs a cover from acan in a manner to leave a smooth even edge at the top of the can topermit safe consumption of the contents directly from the can.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a new andhighly efiicient cutting blade which is so economical as to warrant itsuse only once.

While some of} the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES l to 5 inclusive are somewhat diagrammatic fragmentary, partsectional, part elevational views indicating the operation of salientportions of the mechanisms embodied in the instant invention;

FIGURE 1 illustrates the cutting mechanism at the time the can isinitially punctured;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the holding of the can cover after it has beensevered completely from the can;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the discharge of the used knife blade into theempty can and the substitution therefor of anew knife blade for the nextoperation;

FIGURE 4 illustrates the discharge of the cover into the can after theknife blade already used has been discharged into the can;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view illustrating the cutting of the cover from thecan;

FEGURE 6 is a side elevational view or face view of one of the knifeblades, showing the same in horizontal position for convenience;

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the knife blade taken at the cutting edge,but illustrating the curvature in a somewhat exaggerated manner;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view showing mechanismembodying principles of the instant machine, parts being broken away toillustrate parts therebeneath; r

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line IX-I X of FIGURE 8, looking in the direction ofthe arrows;

FIGURE 10 is also a fragmentary vertical sectional View takensubstantially as indicated by the line XX of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE ll is a fragmentary front elevational view of mechanism embodyingthe instant invention incorporated in the vending machine;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially as indicated by the line XVXV of FIGURE 12; and

FIGURE 16is a fragmentary view of the right-hand 7 portion of FIGURE 15showing the same in a different stage of operation.

As shown on the drawings:

It will be understood that the illustrating and describing of theinstant invention in association with a vending machine is merelyillustrative, and not by way of limitation, for the purpose ofcompletely presenting the full mechanism and its operation. sired todispense with some of the mechanism, such as the means for ejecting theknife blade and severed cover back into the empty can, depending uponthe particular installation in which the invention may be used.

It will also be understood that in connection with FIGURES l toinclusive, the diagrammatic showings, that the parts shown therein willbe connected with other parts later herein, a better understanding ofthe complete mechanism being more easily obtained if the generalfunction and purpose of the invention is first explained in connectionwith these figures.

In all of FIGURES 1 to 5 inclusive, a commonly known form of tin can 1having acover 2 is being acted upon. Looking at FIGURE 1, it will beseen that at At times it may be de-' the start of the operation a shaft3 is forcibly lowered toward the can which is held in fixed position bymeans to be later described. 0n the lower end thereof the shaft 3carries a permanent magnet 4, and ahead 5 is also fixedly connected tothe shaft in any suitable manner. This head 5 carries means to hold acutting blade 6 in operative position and when the shaft is forciblylowered, the cutting blade 6 penetrates the cover 2 of the can. Relativerotation is then set up between the head 5 and the can 1 so that thecutting blade severs the cover 2 completely'from the can and when thesevering operation is completed, the can cover is immediately held bythe magnet 4, as seen in FIGURE 2.

As soon as the can cover is severed and held by the magnet, the shaft 3and head 5 are retracted or elevated away from the can to permit thecontents of the can to be emptied, and the can re-righted, in timedsequence with the movement of the head 5, this particular operation notbeing shown in the drawings.

The head 5 carries a magazine of additional cutting blades 6a thereonand the head is provided with a tapering slot 7 therein to permit-theejection of one cutting blade at a time through the head. When the canis rerighted after having been emptied, ejecting means operate to forceout a new blade 6a toward cutting position and thenew blade pushes theused blade 6 ahead of it into the empty can, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The head 5 also carries a pair of spaced rods 8-8, each of which isbiased upwardly by a spring 9, and after the used and ejected blade 6enters the empty can 1, the ejecting means press the rods 88 downwardlyagainst the action of the biasing springs and force the can cover 2 offthe magnet 4 and the cover also drops into the empty can on top of theejected blade, as shown in FIGURE 4. The can containing the used bladeand cover may then be deposited in a waste receptacle by hand, or by anysuitable means.

Of course, the head 7 together with the cutting blade may rotaterelatively to the can, or the can may be rotated relatively to the headin order to effect the cutting operation. In the illustrated instance,the head 5 rotates while the can is held in fixed position. All of theabove described operations, including the return of the head vby thearrow, so that in one complete revolution the cover will be totallysevered and there will be no hair ing a polygonal aperture 11 thereinadjacent the upper endof the blade. The opposite end of the blade isformed into a point and preferably bevelled on each angular edge asindicated at 12 to provide a cutting edge. The blade is preferablystruck so as to form a curvature in the tapering cutting portion of theblade as indicated at 13 in FIG- URE 7, and when the blade is forcedthrough the top of the can the convex side of the cutting end ispreferably toward the outside of the can. .With the blade so positioned,when a cut is made, the remaining marginal portion of the severed coveradjacent the can chime is turned downwardly against the inside wall ofthe can as shown at 14, thus providing a smooth margin at the open endof the empty can which will not interfere with safely drinking orotherwise consuming the contents directly from theopened can itself, ifsodesired. This manner of cut ting out the can cover also insures thecutting of the cover at such a size that the cover will always fallwithin the can when pushed off the magnet 4 after the can has beenemptied, and there will be no trouble resulting from a misplaced orstuck can cover. It should be noted that the aperture '11 in each blade,while preferably polygonal, need not have an exactly square shape asshown, but it may be of any shape desired as long as it has a flat sideat the bottom for firm engagement by the blade holding means to be laterdescribed.

' For illustrative purposes, the mechanismembodied in the instantinvention is shown associated with an automatic vending machine which ismore fully set forth, described and claimed in our aforesaid copendingapplication. With reference to FIGURES 8, 9, 10 and 11 it will be seenthat the vending machine incorporates container dispensing and placingmeans, can positioning means, and

empty can discharging means all of which operate in timed sequenceduring the vending, opening, emptying, and disposing of a tin caninitially containinga commodity. The container dispensing andpositioning means includes a bellcrank 15 actuated by cam mechanism 16to 'move a pusher 17 laterally and place a cup 18, automaticallydelivered from a dispenser 19, in proper position on a platform 20 toreceive the contents of an opened can.

Can placing means including a pushing bar 21 operated access door to afilled container 18 at the front of the 7 housing. These mechanisms ofthe overall vending machine do not form any part of the instantinvention, but do provide one environment for the invention.

The vending machine includes a fixed frame structure 26 provided withsuitable uprights and crossbars wherever needed, fabricated in anysuitable manner, and it is not necessary herein to specifically describethe frame structure, bearing mountings for the various shafts, pivotpoints, and the like since such is constructed in a manner well known inthe art. Various mechanisms of the vending machine as well as of theinstant invention are driven from a motor 27 mounted upon a portion ofthe fixed frame 26, through a gear train 28 and a main drive shaft 29,all seen in FIGURE 8. 1

In FIGURES 8 and 10 the can holding means are best illustrated. Thesemeans include a pair of elongated allochiral levers 33 and 31 each ofwhich is pivoted to a ross shaft as indicated at 32. These levers areinterconnected by a spring 33 which tends to draw them together belowthe pivot points and cause cam riders 34 and 35 on the lower ends of therespective levers to remain in engagement with opposite sides of a cam36 fixed to the drive shaft 29. This cam has a high part 37 on each sidethereof, both identical in size, and which extends substantiallyhalf-way around the cam. When the high parts of the cam come between theriders 34 and 35,-the lower ends of the levers 30 and 31 are spreadapart bringing the upper ends of the levers above the pivot pointstoward each other. This causes a forceable holding of the can 1 instationary position by means of a gripping element 38 on the upper endof each lever, the can being gripped tightly between the elements 38-33to prevent rotation of the can about its vertical axis. Opposite itsgripping element, the lever 30 carries a pulley wheel 39 over which acable 40 is trained, one end of the cable being connected to a spring40a and the other end to cam means not shown in the drawings whichperiodically release the cable so that the spring a may rotate thepulley 3-9 and the two gripping elements 38-38 to empty the can afterthe cover has been removed. Immediately after emptying the can is againrighted so that the used knife blade and severedcover maybe dropped intoit.

As soon as the can has been firmly gripped between the elements 38-38the can top severing mechanism comes into operation. This mechanism isalso controlled and actuated from the main drive shaft 29 and a separatemotor which rotates the aforesaid head 5 and the knife blade 6 carriedthereby. Thesevering mechanism includes a slidable frame comprisingopposed vertical side members 41 and 42, FIGURES 8 and 9, connected atthe top by a transverse member 43 and a short distance there- 'below bya .pair of spaced transverse members 4444. This entire frame structurevertically reciprocates along guides 45 on the fixed main frame. Thereciprocable frame structure is urged downwardly at all times by meansof a plurality of springs 46, there being four such springs in theillustrated showing, each having its upper end connected to across-member 44 of the reciprocable frame, and its lower end anchored toa portion of the main frame 26. Thus, the cutting mechanism is alwaysurged into cutting position.

The cutting mechanism -is moved to and from cutting position by means ofcam riders in the form of rollers 47 and 48 carried onthe lower ends ofthe reciprocable side members '41 and '42 and riding respectively earns49, and 5t) carriedon the main drive shaft 29. These .cams 49 and 50 areidentical in construction and disposed in the same angular position, andas seen in FIGURE 9 each such cam includes a drop off dwell 51 thatextends partially around the cam and permits the springs 46 to pull thereciprocable frame downward toward the can resting on the platform 22"so as to cause the knife blade '6 to puncture the can cover.

' While the cam riders 47 and 43 remain in the dwells S-lv of the cams49 and 53, the aforesaid head S-together with the knife blade is rotatedone complete revolution to sever the cover'fr'om the can. The mechanismfor accomplishing this. is best seen in FIGURES 12 to 16 inclusive.'Fiirediy secured -to the underside of the head radially outwardlyjbyacompression spring 59.. Thisv 6 detent is flat on the underside and hasa sloping upper wall, as seen clearly in FIGURES 15 and 16, and it e);-tends through the opening 11 in the knife blade 6 with the flatunderface of the detent bearing against the flat bottom edge of theopening 11. With the knife blade so positioned and held as seen inFIGURE 15 it is apparent that the knife blade cannot move upwardly whenthe cutting mechanism is brought downwardly, but the knife blade iseffectively forced through the cover 2 of the can 1, and the knife bladeis held rigid during a revolution of the cutting mechanism so as tocompletely sever the cover from the can.

Rotation of the head 5 and shaft 3 is accomplished by way of the ringgear 53 which, as seen in FIGURE 8, meshes with gearing 69 leading to abevel gear arrangernent 61 connected to the shaft of a cutter drivemotor 62 carried on the side member 42 of the reciproc'able frame. Thismotor 62 rotates at a faster speed than the main drive shaft 29, becauseas soonas a cutting revolution is completed, the camriders 47 and 48 onthe reciprocable frame strike the high parts of the cams 49 and 50 andthe entire slidable frame is elevated to withdraw the knife blade fromthe can, the can cover 2 being carried upwardly at the same time by themagnet 4 on the lower end of the shaft 3. The motor 62 may be energizedby any suitable form of starting switch and cam, located on anydesirable part of the mechanism such as the main drive shaft 29, all asmore fully explained in our aforesaid copending application. The motoris stopped at the end of a single revolution by means of a known form ofcycle switch =63 actuated by a cycle cam 64 carried on the upper end'ofthe shaft 3.

As soon as the cover is removed from the can and en} gaged by the magnet4, if the instant invention is embodied in the machine of the characterillustrated in the drawings, the head 5 remains elevated for asufficient length of time for the can to be emptied of its contents andrerighted, in the manner above explained. As soon as the can isre-righted, the knife blade and cover ejecting means come intooperation. These means are seen bestin FIG; URES 8, 12, 13 and 15, andembody a solenoid 65 mounted on the underside of the top member 43 ofthe slidable frame carrying the cutting mechanism, and the armature ofthis solenoid is connected to an adjacent end of an intermediatelypivoted lever 66. The outer or free end of this lever 66 is bifurcatedas indicated at 67, FIG.- URES 12 and 13. The bifurcations 67 spreadsufficiently to overlie the aforesaid spring biased rods 8 carried bythe head 5 and its associated mechanism. Extending sidewise or laterallyfrom one of the furcations 67 is an arm or bracket 68 having a bladepusher 69 depending .from the outer end thereof, the opposite furcationbeing thickened to compensate for the thickness of the arm 68.

As seen best in FIGURES 15 and 16, a magazine 70 of knife blades 6a, instacked relationship and resiliently urged toward the left-hand end ofthe stack as seen in these figures by means not shown, is mounted in anysuitable manner on the head 5 against a stop member 73. which properlypositions the magazine. This magazine may be made of any suitablematerial such as light 'metal, paperboard, cardboard, plastic,'or othersubstances. It is presumed that the cutting blades 6d are sterilizedbefore or after being placed in the magazine which is designed to keepthem in sterile condition until each individual blade is removed. Themagazine arrangement itself is more fully set forth, described, andclaimed in a copending application-entitled Cutting Blade Magazine andDispense -filed July 3, 1961, Serial No. 127,986, which is also adivision of our aforesaid copending application.

This magazine is provided with a slot 72 in the top thereof and a slot73 in the bottom thereof adjacent the end abutting the stop 71, boththese slots being inalignment with the aforesaid slot 7 in the head 5.The slots are or" just sunrcient size-to pass a single blade andalsotop'of the discharged blade.

permit the entry of the blade pusher 69 carried on the arm 68.

With reference to FIGURES l and 16, it will be seen that after a can hasbeen opened, the cover retained on the magnet 4, and the head elevated,when the solenoid 65 is energized to actuate the lever 66, the bladepusher 69 enters the magazine, forces out the adjacent blade 6a, thepoint of which strikes the used blade 6, and pushes it past the detent80 and into the empty can. Shortly after the blade has been ejected fromthe head, the furcations on the lever 66 contact the spring urged rods88 and force them downwardly to dislodge the can cover from the magnet4, the cover falling into the empty can on As the new blade passes thedetent 58, when the aperture 11 in that new blade is reached the detentwill snap back into position, and hold the new blade in cuttingposition.

Briefly reviewing the operation of the instant invention, we find thatat the start of the operation a filled can 1 is automatically heldagainst rotation by the gripping elements 38-38 on the levers 30 and 31,then the slidable frame carrying the cutting mechanism is permitted tobe .pulled downwardly by the springs 46 bringing the cutting head andthe cutting mechanism toward the cover of the can and forcing the knifeblade through the can cover. Thereafter, by virtue of the cutter motor62, the entire headwith the cutting means is rotated to completely severthe can cover 2 from the can, and the severed cover is immediately held,by the magnet 4. The cutter head is then elevated to withdraw the knifeblade from the can, permitting the can to be tipped, emptied, andre-righted. At that time, the solenoid 65 actuates the lever 66 to eject'the'used blade into the can and then eject the severed cover into thecan on top of the used blade, at the same time positioning a new bladefrom the magazine 70 into cutting position for the next operation. Theoperation is completely automatic, and the electrical connections Eoroperating the respective motors, solenoid and other parts of themechanism in timed sequence is of the character usually utilized inmachines requiring a sequence of operations, and is more fully set forthand explained in our aforesaid copending application.

From the foregoing itis apparent that we have provided simple andeffective automatic means for opening tin cans and the like containingedible substances in a strictly'and completely sanitary manner, whereinanything that comes in contact with the contents of a can is utilizedonly once and discarded. An economical form of can opening bladeis-provided, one for each separate opening operation, from a magazine ofblades which is easily replaced with a new magazine containing a stackof blades when necessary. The mechanism is highly durable, requireslittle servicing, occupies little room, and is economical to manufactureand use.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine for dispensing the contents of cans, a magazine of canopening blades, a rotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetratethe can cover and then severe the same by the carried blade, and bladefeeding means arranged to discharge the used blade and contemporaneouslyposition a new blade from said magazine in said assembly.

2. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means,housing means, a blade carried by said housing means, and drivemechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate one ofsaid means relatively to. the other to sever the can cover by saidblade, a supply of blades associated with said housing means, andejecting means to remove a used blade from said housing means andposition a new blade from said supply.

3. In a machine for opening can! and the like, can hold- 8. ing means torestrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a bladeslot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot, and acutting blade having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latchprojecting through said aperture with an end of the blade projectingbeyond the assembly to sever the cover from the held can.

4. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means torestrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a bladeslot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot, and acutting blade having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latchproject- 7 ing through said aperture with an end of the blade projectingbeyond the assembly to sever the cover from the held can, means to lowersaid assembly and project the exposed blade end through the held can andlater raise the assembly, and means to rotate said assembly when in thelowered position. 7

5. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means torestrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a bladeslot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot,and acutting blade'having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latchproject ing through said aperture with an end of the blade project ingbeyond the assembly'tosever the cover from the held can, a magazine forcutting blades associated with said assembly, said magazine having ablade discharge slot therein in alignment with the slot in saidassembly, and eject ing means to force out a blade from said magazineinto said assembly while driving out the used blade.

6. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can hold- 7 ing means,housing means, a blade carried by said housing means, and drivemechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate oneofsaid means relatively to the other to sever the can cover by said blade,means to move said housing means toward and away from the held can,cover holding means on said housing means, and an ejector assemblyincluding a blade ejecting element and a cover ejecting element. i

7. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means,housing means, a blade carried by said housing means, and drivemechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate one ofsaid means relatively to the other to sever the can cover by I saidblade, means to move said housingmeans toward and away from the heldcan, cover holding means on said housing means, and an' ejector assemblyincluding a blade ejecting element and a cover ejecting element, theblade ejecting element extending in advance of the cover eject-ingelement to cause ejection of the used blade and then the can cover. a

8. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means torestrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a bladeslot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot, and acutting blade having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latchprojecting through said aperture with an end of the blade projectingbeyond the assembly to sever the cover from the held can, a magazine forcutting blades associated with said assembly, said magazine having ablade discharge slot therein in alignment with the slot in saidassembly, a cover holding magnet on said assembly, and cover and bladeejecting means including a blade ejecting element to enter the magazineslot and force a new blade into engagement with said latch driving outthe used blade and a cover ejecting element to push the cover oif saidmagnet. t

9. In can opening mechanism, a rotary-head, blade holding means on saidhead, a magazine of 'blades'on said head, means to hold a can againstrotation, means to move said head toward said can and force the blade insaid holding means through the cover of the can, means to rotate saidhead and sever the cover from the can, magnet means associated with saidhead to hold the severed cover, and pusher means to eject tthe knifeblade from said holding means and substitute a new blade from saidmagazine and also force the severed cover off said magnet means.

10. In can opening mechanism, means to hold a can against rotation, arotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover andthen sever the same by the carried blade, drive means to rotate saidassembly, and means carried by said assembly to control said drive meansand cause the assembly to stop after a single revolution.

11. In can opening mechanism, means to hold a can against rotation, arotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover andthen sever the same by the carried blade. drive means to rotate saidassembly. means carried by said assembly to control said drive means andcause the assembly to stop after a single revolution, a magazine of canopening blades, and blade ejecting means operable to eject the bladecarried by said assembly and substitute a new blade from said magazinetherefor at the end of each cutting operation.

12. In can opening mechanism, means to hold a can against rotation, arotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover andthen sever the same by the carried blade, said assembly including ashaft extending therefrom, a motor connected to rotate said assembly, acycle switch controlling said motor, and a cam on said shaft to actuatesaid switch and stop said motor at the end of a single revolution ofsaid assembly.

13. In can opening mechanism, a reciprocable frame, a rotary bladecarrying assembly on said frame, a blade held in cutting position bysaid assembly, means to hold a can, means to move said frame forcefullytoward the held can and cause said blade to penetrate the can cover,means to rotate said assembly and sever the cover from the can, coverholding means on said assembly, means to elevate said frame and assemblyto permit emptying the can, and ejecting means carried by said frame toeject both the blade and the severed cover from said assembly.

14. In can opening mechanism, a reciprocable frame, a rotary bladecarrying assembly on said frame, a blade held in cutting position bysaid assembly, means to hold a can, means to move said frame forcefullytoward the held can and cause said blade to penetrate the can cover,means to rotate said assembly and sever the cover from the can, coverholding means on said assembly, means to elevate said frame and assemblyto permit emptying the can, a magazine of cutting blades carried by saidassembly, and ejecting means carried by said frame and operable to firsteject the used blade from said assembly and substitute a new one fromsaid magazine therefor and also push the severed cover from said holdingmeans immediately after ejecting the used blade.

15. In can opening mechanism, cutting head means, a cutting bladecarried by said head means, can holding means, drive mechanism to moveone of said means toward the other and rotate one of said meansrelatively to the other to sever the can cover from the can by saidblade, a magnet depending from said head means to hold the severed cancover, a pair of rods associated with said head means disposed onopposite sides of said magnet, resilient means biasing said rods awayfrom a cover on said magnet, a magazine of blades associated with saidhead means, and ejecting means operable to eject the used blade fromsaid head means and substitute a new blade from said magazine whileactuating said rods to push the severed cover from said magnet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,012,880 M-archand Dec. 26, 1911 1,176,914 Lostumo et al. Mar. 28, 19161,618,457 McGrath Feb. 22, 1927 2,523,810 rown Sept. 26, 1950 2,579,189Ienson Dec. 18, 1951 2,896,319 Pinette July 29, 1959

1. IN A MACHINE FOR DISPENSING THE CONTENTS OF CANS, A MAGAZINE OF CANOPENING BLADES, A ROTARY BLADE CARRYING ASSEMBLY MOVABLE TO PENETRATETHE CAN COVER AND THEN SEVERE THE SAME BY THE CARRIED BLADE, AND BLADEFEEDING MEANS ARRANGED TO DISCHARGE THE USED BLADE AND CONTEMPORANEOUSLYPOSITION A NEW BLADE FROM SAID MAGAZINE IN SAID ASSEMBLY.